Mapleshade's Vengeance/Cliffnotes
*A Gathering takes place. **Mapleshade pushes through a crowd of RiverClan cats, where Rainfall reminds Mapleshade of the recent battle over Sunningrocks. **He reminds Mapleshade of the death of Birchface and Flowerpaw, of how Appledusk sent Birchface into the river and Flowerpaw went in after him. **Mapleshade finds Appledusk, who is her mate. She reveals that she is expecting kits. **She will raise them alone. **Reedshine, a RiverClan warrior, calls for Appledusk and presses against him. Mapleshade is jealous of this attention. *The next day, Mapleshade tells Beetail, the deputy that she cannot do normal duties as she is expecting kits. **Frecklewish is delighted, and asks why she’ll raise them alone. **She assumes that her brother, Birchface, is the father of Mapleshade's kits. **Mapleshade declares she won’t be raising these kits alone. *Mapleshade gives birth to her kits. **Ravenwing, the medicine cat stresses if she’s okay, and Mapleshade remembers this is the first birth he supervised alone after the death of his mentor. **Mapleshade thanks StarClan for these kits, and Ravenwing says ThunderClan thanks her. **Mapleshade is certain that when it’s time for ThunderClan and RiverClan to learn, they’ll unite together. *Three sunrises later, Oakstar the leader comes to meet the kits as he thinks they are kin. **Frecklewish exclaims she can see Birchface in every one of them, which Mapleshade thinks is incorrect as none of them are the same dark brown as Birchface. **Mapleshade reveals to the leader she has named her kits Patchkit, Petalkit, and Larchkit, stating she doesn't want her kits being judged by their kinship. **Mapleshade asks Frecklewish to tell Appledusk first about her kits, stating the murderer of Birchface needs to know that ThunderClan is stronger than ever. **Oakstar says they will raise them like their father, and one day they will avenge his death. **Mapleshade is certain that when they learn of the kits RiverClan blood, ThunderClan will accept them and already love them. *The kits are two moons old, and Patchkit states to Mapleshade he never wants to leave her. *Rabbitfur, an elder offers to Petalkit and Larchkit a jumping game. **They are clumsy, unlike Birchface. **Mapleshade is furious that her kits are being compared to Birchface, and takes them away. *She takes them to the river. **They are surprised and dazzled by the river, and prove to be natural swimmers. **As Patchkit rests on a floating branch, a RiverClan patrol arrives, and Appledusk is part of it. **Mapleshade calls her other kits back as Appledusk guides Patchkit back. **Appledusk states she took a risk bringing them to the border, but Mapleshade says she wanted to show them the river. Appledusk is proud of his kits. *On the way back, Ravenwing reveals himself. **He saw everything. **Ravenwing says he saw an omen, of three water reeds washing into his den. **He thinks that the kits are those reeds, and they do not belong in ThunderClan. **He figures out that Appledusk is the father of these cats, not Birchface. *Mapleshade and the kits return to camp to find the Clan has gathered. **Ravenwing has told the Clan the truth. **Oakstar banishes Mapleshade and her kits. *She promises them that they will regret this day and flees with her kits from ThunderClan camp. **She tells her kits that ThunderClan is angry because Appledusk is their father, not Birchface. **Mapleshade takes them to the flooding river, in hopes of reaching Appledusk and his Clan for shelter. **The kits are hesitant, but go in. They are instantly washed away. **Mapleshade tries to rescue them, but the current is too strong and she almost drowns in the process. Appledusk manages to rescue her. **The patrol his with races off to rescue the kits. They recover the kits’ bodies. *They all are taken to RiverClan camp where Darkstar can decide what to do. **Appledusk reveals his relationship with Mapleshade, claiming it was a mistake and that it was her fault that the kits drowned. Mapleshade is horrified. **Reedshine defends Appledusk, so Darkstar agrees to let him stay and to let her warriors bury the kits. **She banishes Mapleshade, and Mapleshade promises to Appledusk that he will regret this day. *Mapleshade collapses in a barn where a kittypet named Myler tries to help her. **Mapleshade refuses help and flees the barn. *She reaches ThunderClan territory, where she remembers Ravenwing and blames him for the death of her kits. *Nettlepaw, a ThunderClan apprentice finds Mapleshade. **He reveals that Frecklewish followed Mapleshade and her kits to make sure they left the territory and saw them fall into the river. **He gives Mapleshade some herbs that were meant for Ravenwing, and it strengthens the she-cat. *Mapleshade decides that she can attack Ravenwing at the Moonstone when he goes at the half-moon. **She catches a rabbit from a WindClan patrol before moving on. **At the Highstones, Mapleshade rests as she waits for the half-moon. **She catches a mole and is ready for Ravenwing to come. *Ravenwing finally arrives with no other medicine cats. **Mapleshade follows him into the Mothermouth and to the Moonstone. **At the Moonstone, Mapleshade attacks Ravenwing, blaming him for killing her kits. **She thinks there is nothing to say to him, so bites his throat and kills Ravenwing. **Two fellow medicine cats arrive and not spotting Mapleshade, drag Ravenwing’s body to the surface. *Mapleshade finds that they tried to bury his body at the Highstones. **Remembering the watery territory her kits are buried at, she uncovers his body. **She leaves it for a hawk. *She can only hear and see Patchkit and Petalkit now. **Only Larchkit has been avenged. *Mapleshade remembers what Nettlepaw told her, and blames Frecklewish for their deaths. **She plans to use Snakerocks to have her revenge on Frecklewish. *Mapleshade waits near the Twolegplace for Frecklewish. **A patrol comes, but none of them are Frecklewish. *Mapleshade heads in, catching a mouse before moving on. **She finds Frecklewish, and makes a scent trail using the dead mouse. *Mapleshade leads Frecklewish to Snakerocks, where she makes sure adders can come out. **Mapleshade attacks Frecklewish, where Frecklewish threatens to call for a patrol. **Mapleshade says Frecklewish let her kits die, taunting that she prefers watching kits die than fighting. **Frecklewish claims that she thought her kits would be saved and never meant for them to die. **She wishes that Mapleshade is dead instead of her kits as Mapleshade betrayed her brother’s name. **An adder appears and bites Frecklewish, blinding her. **Despite the help from a patrol, Mapleshade knows that even if Frecklewish survives, she’ll never see again. *Mapleshade can only hear Patchkit’s wails now. **She is ready for the final cat to die. *The final cat is Appledusk. **Mapleshade heads to RiverClan territory. **She waits up a tree for Appledusk. *He appears, but with his apprentice Perchpaw. **Reedshine also arrives, and reveals she is carrying Appledusk’s kits. **Appledusk is very protective of his kits, insisting he can’t let Perchpaw pounce on the queen because it might harm their kits. **Mapleshade feels Patchkit beside her, and is more determined to kill Appledusk. *Mapleshade wakes up later to find Perchpaw playing with moss. **She catches him and hides in wait for Appledusk. **Appledusk arrives, looking for his apprentice. **Mapleshade insists to him that he killed her kits. **She gives Perchpaw back and challenges Appledusk to a fight. *Appledusk doesn’t want to fight Mapleshade. **Reedshine appears and Mapleshade lunges at the she-cat, insisting she and her kits must die. *Appledusk jumps in the way, taking the blow to his throat. **Perchpaw attacks, biting Mapleshade’s neck before sliding off. **Patchkit stirs next to Appledusk’s body, and announces they are free. **Reedshine tells Mapleshade she has not won, as Appledusk will live on in his kits and their kits. **Mapleshade swears to haunt them, and her vengeance will never be finished. *She flees back to the barn. **Myler tries to stem the bleeding from the wound Perchpaw gave her. *There is too much blood. **He offers to sit with Mapleshade, but Mapleshade refuses and he reluctantly leaves. *Mapleshade dies of her wounds. **She finds herself in the Dark Forest and is not unhappy, but overjoyed. **She swears to avenge the death of her kits, and haunt Appledusk’s kin forever. **The novella finishes with the line: Mapleshade’s desire for vengeance would never sleep. Category:Novellas Category:Cliffnotes Category:Mapleshade's Vengeance